APRIL MORNING
Director
Delbert Mann
Writers
Howard Fast (novel)
James Lee Barrett (teleplay)
Cast (partial) :
Tommy Lee Jones .... Moses Cooper
Robert Urich .... Joseph Simmons
Chad Lowe .... Adam Cooper
Susan Blakely .... Sarah Cooper
Meredith Salenger .... Ruth Simmons
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The prosecution of Robert Goldstein for the movie Spirit of 1776
put down the Revolution in the theatre. Literature has produced greats in the genre
but only a short list of motion pictures embraces a subject with issues which remain contemporary.
American leftist Howard Fast produced several notable novels on the Revolution:
April Morning about the Battles of Lexington and Concord, The Unvanquished about the disasterous
Battle of Brooklyn,
"The Crossing"
about the battle of Trenton and Citizen Thomas Paine
about the apostle of democratic revolution.
Two of Fast's critically acclaimed books were made into movies:
The Crossing
and April Morning. Neither movie version drew large audiences.
Often compared to Red Badge of Courage, April Morning dawns
over the sleepy hamlet of Lexington where
15-year-old Adam Cooper's main concern is the chores on the family farm,
courting his girl and hanging out with his friends.
Creeping toward the quiet town,
is a red coat column bound to destroy the patriot's caches of arms at Concord.
Forewarned the local militia musters some men to stand on the green.
Inexplicably, Major John Pitcairn, commanding the advance party, orders the
militia to disperce. Refused, the British advance on the minutemen. A shot
rings out. Firing begins.
When the smoke clears, 10 locals are killed and 8 more wounded.
Adam and his friends are sent packing. As English lines
continue the march to Concord, Adam's friend
Solomon predicts "It'll be easier for them to go down
that road then it will be for them to come back."
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After skirmishing with militia at Concord,
the British return to Boston down a road walled with angry farmers
whipped up into a rage by the incursion.
Redcoats face hostile fire according to legend
from every tree, rock, fence, and bush.
The British take casualties, but inflict not a few on their
aroused adversary clinging to the protection of the bush. A more mature Adam returns home with
the painful knowledge that peaceful joys are over.
The battle sequences are well staged with the drums
of the advancing British
beating a terrifying warning of the approach
of the mighty British host
whose clanking bayonets and the accompanying huzzahs
send a soul splitting chill.
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